Funding will help kickstart municipal water and brownfield remediation projects

Today (August 22) is the day the Federation of Canadian Municipalities is open to requests for grants and loans for potable water supply improvement projects.
The FCM’s Green Municipal Fund will award $10 million in loans and up to $1.6 million in grants for projects that are expected to improve potable water quality, while at the same time reducing the use and loss of potable water. Any Canadian municipal government or a utility wholly owned by a municipal government can apply for the funds.
The projects have to improve the water’s health parameters to at least the level of the Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines. At the time, the initiatives must reduce water production in the distribution system by at least six percent from the base line.
The Intent to Apply forms are being posted on the FCM website and in Quebec are available from the Ministere des Affaires municipales et des Regions.
The completed forms must be in by September 19, 2007, and detailed proposals are due on October 31.
The Green Municipal Fund is also inviting proposals for brownfield remediation projects. These projects must include either the conservation of heritage buildings, or the construction of new buildings that will attain at least LEED Silver rating. A total of $20 million in loans is available for these brownfield projects. The deadline for Intent to apply forms is September 19, 2007, and detailed proposals must be received on October 31, 2007.
The level of funding to each project is linked to the projects “anticipated environmental, social and economic benefits. The benefits are calculated based on both the site remediation and the proposed redevelopment.
See www.fcm.ca